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Explanations: No. 14675 – Friday, 13 January 2012

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How did you fare with this crossword?

Across
1 There’s no room that’s standard (4)
NO-RM
There’s “no” (NO) room (RM) = NORM: that’s standard. 4 Ones urging and arranging pressure about the commercial (10) PERSU(AD)ERS
Arranging “pressure” (PERSU-ERS) about “the commercial” (AD) and = PERSUADERS: ones urging. 9 North and west, in front of it for the dope (6) N-IT-W-IT
North (N) in front of “it” (IT) and “west” (W) in front of “it” (IT) for = NITWIT: the dope. 10 Replacing Malachy without ceremony (8) IN-FOR-MAL
Replacing Malachy (IN FOR MAL) = INFORMAL: without ceremony. 11 Canvasses around Ayr for employer expenses (8) P(AYR)OLLS
Canvasses (P-OLLS) around “Ayr” (AYR) for = PAYROLLS: employer expenses. 12 Box N100 in the facility (6) E(N-C)ASE
In the “facility” (E-ASE) N100 (N-C) = ENCASE: box. 13 A team of investigators produced the drug (4) A-CID
A (A) team of investigators (CID) produced = ACID: the drug. 15 A little volume one set fire to in the middle? (10) CENT(I-LIT)RE
In “the middle” (CENT-RE) “one” “set fire to” (I-LIT) = CENTILITRE: a little volume. 17 Astonishing you all, the American Dad by 22/7 is in England! (3-7) E(YE-POP-PI)NG
In “England” (E-NG) is “you all” “the American ‘Dad’” by “22/7” (YE-POP-PI) = EYE-POPPING: astonishing. 19 Notice it could be medium capacity, at the end of the day (4) ESP-Y
It could be “medium” capacity (ESP) at “the end of ‘the da-y’” (Y) = ESPY: notice. 20 That woman … around one hundred and deserving of a medal (6) HER-O-I-C
That woman (HER) a-round (O) “one” “hundred” (I-C) and = HEROIC: deserving of a medal. 22 A habit partly making Charles blue, sadly (8) CHAS-UBLE
Charles (CHAS) “blue” sadly (UBLE) making = CHASUBLE: a (priest’s) habit, partly. 25 Strand about a hundred, all for a biscuit! (8) M(A-C)AROON
Strand (M-AROON) about “a hundred” (A-C) all for = MACAROON: a biscuit. 26 Diana goes back and forth in Kildare for a wee one (6) K(ID-DI)E
In “Kildare” (K-E) Diana, ‘Di’, goes back (ID) and forth (DI) for = KIDDIE: a wee one. 27 They don’t need to be pressed to put something basic in the posters (10) PO(LYE)STERS
In “the posters” (PO-STERS) to put something basic (LYE) = POLYESTERS: they don’t need to be pressed. 28 An Indian noble managed one (4) RAN-I
Managed (RAN) one (I) = RANI: an Indian noble.

Down
2 A few ruling for cigar production in Louth and in Offaly (9)
O[L(IGARC)H]Y
In “Offaly” (O-Y) “cigar” production in “Louth” [L(IGARC)H] for = OLIGARCHY: a few ruling. 3 It cuts a thousand and one short (5) M-OWER
A thousand (M) and “one short” (OWER) = MOWER: it cuts. 4 Penny and others get a part for a Corolla (5) P-ET-AL
Penny (P) and others (ET AL) get = PETAL: a part for a corolla (flower). 5 Checks in the Royal Navy there’s a German-Italian, yes? (5,2) R(EIN-S I)N
In “the Royal Navy” (R-N) there’s “a” German, Italian “yes” (EIN-SI) = REINS IN: checks. 6 Cruel fun at sea, catching eels (9) UNF-EELING
“Fun” at sea (UNF) catching eels (EELING) = UNFEELING: cruel. 7 With poor credit, I have to get the order (9) DIRECT-I’VE
With poor “credit” (DIRECT) I have (I’VE) to get = DIRECTIVE: the order. 8 Put nothing into X-ray units for the RDS (5) R(O)ADS
Into “X-ray units” (R-ADS) put “nothing” (O) for = ROADS: the rds. 14 Do it yourself without the Palestinian organisation’s computer showing tact (9) DI(PLO-MAC)Y
Do it yourself (DI-Y) without “the Palestinian organization’s computer” (PLO-MAC) showing = DIPLOMACY: tact. 15 Ample limit on account debts (9) CAP-AC-IOUS
Limit (CAP) on “account” (AC) debts (IOUS) = CAPACIOUS: ample. 16 Disgust for an agent with soul in confusion (9) REP-ULSION
An agent (REP) with “soul in” confusion (ULSION) for = REPULSION: disgust. 18 Holy smoke, the niece is crazy about the Poles! (7) INCE(NS)E
The “niece” is crazy (INCE-E) about “the poles” (NS) = INCENSE: holy smoke. 21 Tear about around a muse (5) ERAT-O
“Tear” about (ERAT) a-round (O) = ERATO: a muse. 23 Signs of life in Egypt and North Korea, has confused all around (5) A(NK)HA
“Has” confused (A-HS) all around “North Korea” (NK) and = ANKHS: signs of life in Egypt. 24 One in Paris the German anaesthetised (5) UN-DER
“One” in Paris (UN) “the” German (DER) = UNDER: anaesthetised.